The Story of Mary Ann Catherine Davies / Memories ... August 24

This post tells the story of my paternal great-granduncle's wife, Mary Ann Catherine Davies (1866 - 1941).

We do not have common ancestors, obviously, as our relationship is through her marriage. We do, however, have something else in common: our birthplace, and this is the reason I'm adding her story to my family tree blog. 

Mary Ann is the first person I've found on my father's side of the family tree actually born in the same area as myself (and my brother). On my mother's side, the O'Donnell / McCane side, there are many relatives born near or in Bowen - aunts, uncles, cousins. My father's side of the family tree, however, has roots deep in southern Queensland and New South Wales, so discovering that someone on my father's side also comes from north Queensland has been a total surprise.

I'm publishing her story on the anniversary of her birth.

Anniversary of a Birthday

(For my 'Family Anniversaries' page) 

Some family member's stories begin in the most rough and tough, unexpected places.  Mary Ann's life began on the banks of the Don River, near Bowen, Queensland, during the very early days of settlement in that region.  Her story is one of pioneering courage, resilience, and the enduring strength of family - a story that bridges the very first European settlements in northern Queensland to the rich family networks of New South Wales.

Roots in Early Bowen

One of the earliest photos of Bowen - taken in 1867.
The photo shows the main street and the port.

• According to her birth certificate, Mary Ann Catherine Davies was born on 27 August 1866, at “Don River near Bowen,” a reflection of her father’s occupation and lifestyle at the time. 

• Her father, John Davies (sometimes spelt Davis), was a bushman—a rugged rural labourer tied to the pastoral industry, living a self-reliant and often itinerant life. Her mother, Jane Jenkins McNeill, was one of the brave young women who journeyed to Australia seeking opportunity. Jane arrived in December 1861 aboard the ship 'Persia', the first immigrant vessel to arrive at Port Curtis (later Gladstone), at just 16 years old. She was among a small group of over 100 immigrants from Ireland and England, travelling as a single woman to find work as a domestic servant.

• Mary Ann was the second-born child of John and Jane, although their first-born sadly died soon after birth. Over the years, Mary Ann would have at least ten siblings, giving her a bustling, hand-to-mouth early childhood. The family most likely lived in tents or shacks by the Don River, as Bowen’s settlement was still in its infancy. By the time Mary Ann was born, Bowen’s population had grown to about 1,000, with cleared tracks serving as streets and the area beginning to establish itself as a hub for northern pastoral activity.

• Around the age of 10 or 11, Mary Ann’s family relocated to northern New South Wales, where her younger siblings were born, giving the family a slightly more stable environment as she approached adolescence.

Marriage and Family Life

• In December of 1882, aged 16 years, Mary Ann married my paternal great-granduncle, James Cusack,  who was 25 at the time. Permission to marry had to be given by Mary Ann's father, as she was under the age of 21. The marriage took place at her parents’ home in Lismore, New South Wales, suggesting that by then her family were enjoying a more comfortable lifestyle. 

Marriage Notice
The Northern Star Wed 3 Jan 1883 p2

• Mary Ann had married into a large, well-known Lismore pioneering family, highly respected in the area. There would have been some prestige associated to the union with the Cusack family. After the wedding, Mary Ann and James initially established their own household in Lismore, later moving to the Murwillumbah area, and then Byron Bay.

• Together, Mary Ann and James had thirteen children:

1. Florence Edith Cusack (1884–1889) – died at age 5

2. William Hugh Fay Cusack (1885–1933) – married Mabel Hicks in 1906

3. Jane Lillian Cusack (1887–1941) - never married

4. James Herbert Cusack (1889–1954) – served in WW1 1916-1919, married Edith Annie Grinstead in London in 1919

5. Alice May Grace Cusack (1891–1961) – married William J. Daly

6. Harold John Charles Cusack (1895–1942, twin) – served in WW1 - married Maud Mabel McDermott in 1917

7. Eliza Violet Cusack (1895–1961, twin) - married Alexander S. Forster in 1918

8. Ernest Thomas Stanley Cusack (1897–1919) – served in WW1, died of influenza while on leave from the front in London, England

9. Charlotte Bertha Cusack (1899–1971) – married Francis Sydney Busine in 1917

10. Marie Olive Cusack (1902–1965) – married Lewis Wooldridge in 1925

11. Eva Doris Ethel Cusack (1904–1966) – married James W. Milgate in 1926

12. Wilfred Harold George Cusack (1906–1978) – married Evangeline Grace Davidson in 1942

13. Mabel Eunice Susan Cusack (1910–1985) – married Harold R. Armfield in 1930

• Mary Ann’s early years as a mother were marked by both joy and sorrow. Her first-born, Florence, passed away at just five years old while Mary Ann was pregnant with her fourth child—a poignant reminder of the challenges families faced in that era.

Mary Ann Catherine Cusack nee Davies
- pictured later in her life.
Date of photo unknown.
(photo shared by Holmes_Lindy on Ancestry.com)

Trials of Widowhood and War

Mary Ann endured considerable hardship. Her husband, James, passed away in 1915 when she was just 48 years old, leaving her a widow with five young children ranging from 5 to 15 years old. Fortunately, her older children were approaching adulthood and likely assisted in caring for the younger siblings.

During this time, Mary Ann also faced the terrifying realities of World War I, seeing three of her sons depart for service between 1915 and 1916. Only two returned; the youngest, Ernest, tragically died of influenza while on leave in London. 

Despite these trials, Mary Ann’s resilience and devotion to family ensured that her household remained a place of care and continuity.

Later Life and Legacy

• Mary Ann lived to see most of her children grow into adulthood, marry, and have families of their own.  By the time of her death, she was surrounded by sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, and at least 20 grandchildren. 

• She passed away on 27 December 1941, aged 75, at the St. Vincent's Hospice in Lismore.  She was buried at the Presbyterian Cemetery in Byron Bay, New South Wales.

• Her life, from a rough riverside settlement in Bowen to the established towns of northern New South Wales, was one marked by courage, adaptability, and enduring family connections.  Her story is a bridge between the early frontier settlements of northern Queensland and the well-established pioneering families of Lismore.  Her life reminds us of the strength, resilience, and enduring legacy of early settlers.

Mary Ann Catherine Cusack nee Davies
- pictured as an elderly woman in her 70s
Date unknown.
(Photo shared by bluehills05 on Ancestry.com)